


Game Night

by Kinkykingliam



Series: Michael Lives [3]
Category: Jane the Virgin (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 17:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13862412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kinkykingliam/pseuds/Kinkykingliam
Summary: It's game night in the Cordero household. With almost everyone in attendance, we get a glimpse of Jane and Michael now that the kids are a bit older. New relationships have formed and old ones have held strong.





	Game Night

It’s game night in the Cordero household. Mateo and Lili are bringing armfuls of board games downstairs, while Manuel is in the living room putting music on the stereo. He scrolls with his thumb, through the songs on his father’s phone. Scrunching up his nose at anything he doesn’t like or recognize. And considering he is only 6, his nose is scrunched up the whole time, until he comes across a name that looks familiar. He is just learning how to read but is picking it up quickly. He thumbs down to the song, instantly recognizing the bright red Phoenix sitting on a branch in the picture. He taps it and gently sets the phone down. As he turns to walk away, he hears his father say loudly “That’s my boy!” from the dining room.  
Mateo and Lili set another armful of board games down on fold out tables next to the dining room table.  
“I don’t think we need them all, Lili” Mateo says  
“I hope we play scrabble, totally gonna wipe the floor with you” An 8 year old Liliana laughs.  
Mateo scrunches up his face and sticks out his tongue. As he does this, Jane walks in with a giant bowl of chips in her hands.  
“Mr. Sweetface, could you….” Jane begins  
“MOMMMMMMMM! I’m 11, stop calling me that already!” Mateo says as his cheeks flush red  
“Yeah mom, can’t you see the facial hair?” Lili says as Michael stifles a laugh behind her.  
Mateo turns angrily at Lili, about to make fun of her still braiding her hair, before she turns and runs out of the room, fist bumping Michael on the way out.  
“Mateo.” Jane says firmly “I’ve called you that for years, give me time or give me a new, even cuter nickname” She says teasingly as she pinches his cheeks before walking back into the kitchen.  
Michael sets his case folder down, and motions for Mateo to sit down next to him.  
“You know how you can get her to stop calling you that, right?” Michael says nonchalantly.  
Mateo rolls his eyes, because he knows exactly what he has to do to get her to stop saying that.  
“I don’t like taking the garbage out. It stinks. Ryan doesn’t have to take the garbage out!” Mateo protests  
“Oh, Mr. Sweetface” Michael says jokingly  
“Uh fine. She can keep calling me that.” Mateo says as he rolls his eyes again in defeat.  
The doorbell rings and Mateo jumps up to get it. Michael focuses back on his case, running a hand through his hair. Trying to solve his problem before game night starts.  
Mateo swings open the door and Petra stands on the walkway, her phone pressed to her ear, a hand on her hip. In front of him stands Anna and Ellie. Anna has her hair up in a messy bun. She has her green crossbody bag at her side, hanging down, bumping into her ripped skinny jeans as she says “hi” and enters the house. She’s wearing a t-shirt with some weird band on the front. Ellie has her hair perfectly, curled, as usual. She waltzes by him, her blue, knee length skirt hitting his leg as she breezes by, a quick “hey” from her, as she unbuttons her white cardigan. She tosses the cardigan on the couch, smoothing down her grey and white polka dotted button up, before joining jane in the kitchen.. While peeks into the dining room, before turning and running into the study with Lili and Manuel.  
Mateo turns back around to see Rafael pulling up to the house. He brought someone with him. Mateo can’t see who it is until they both get out of the car. It’s Julia. Mateo’s cheeks flush red, before he quickly snaps out of his thoughts. Julia is so pretty. Her long blonde hair falling down to her waist. She always is wearing some bright colored outfit and she is so happy. Mateo loves seeing her at school. She teaches the class right next to his. When he explained his feelings to Michael, Michael told him he had what was called, a ‘crush’. Mateo didn’t like it. Everytime his dad kissed her, he felt slightly annoyed. They breeze past Petra, not bothering to interrupt her conversation.  
“Hey Mateo! Looking dapper!” Julia says as she hops up the front steps, kissing his cheek and going inside.  
“Hey buddy, ready for game night?” Rafael says with a grin, tousling Mateo’s hair before following Julia into the house. Mateo leaves the door open a crack for Petra. Knowing that she will take it out on Jane if the door is closed. Mateo likes Petra, he doesn’t like short tempered, angry Petra. As he turns, he sees Anna, judging what appears to a dance off, between Lili and Manuel. Manuel is the better dancer, but Lili can hold her own.  
He brushes past the study and back into the dining room, where Michael is sitting at the table with Rafael and Julia. He has put his case folder back into his briefcase and is talking with Julia about his coworker Danny, who is Julia’s cousin. Michael laughs that it is a small world and Julia follows. Mateo sits down next to Rafael and they begin to talk about the upcoming soccer season.  
In the kitchen, Ellie walks up to Jane and then jumps onto the island behind her.  
“Hi Jane” she says slowly, knowing she is going to startle Jane  
“Oh” Jane jumps around “Hi Ellie, I didn’t see you there.”  
“I know.” Ellie laughs, as Jane rolls her eyes.  
“Well if you’re gonna sit there, you can at least open bags and pour the snacks into bowls, yes?” Jane says with a smile, as she points to a few bags of chips and some empty bowls.  
“Jane….” Ellie says quietly “Petra is mad at me.”  
Ellie stopped calling Petra ‘mom’ when she was 6 years old. She had learned about her mother's past and hadn’t looked at her the same way. She kept it to herself, only telling Anna snippets. Hoping to not tarnish Anna’s memory of Petra too. Ellie was smart for her age, often discussing her hopes to become a doctor in her future. Hearing the sadness in Ellie’s voice, Jane puts down the pepper she is cutting for her salad and turns to look Ellie in the eye.  
“Would you like to talk about it?” Jane asks Ellie  
“Well…. You know how Anna takes a lot of music classes?” Ellie says looking at the floor  
“Yes, she loves to play music. What does that have to do with your mom being mad at you?” Jane asks, wiping the water off her hands from the pepper she was just chopping.  
“Petra wants me to focus on music right now. She says that it could help me greatly in the future. But I only like to play the piano. I don’t like string instruments and I’m not interested in band at school.” She looks up at Jane  
“Well…” Jane thinks about her words before she says them “Petra is right that playing music is a good skill to have. Even if it is not something you want to turn into a career. Did you know Michael knows how to play the piano?” Jane says smiling softly at Ellie  
“That’s cool, I guess. I just don’t want to take all those classes with Anna. We have always done everything together. I want to be my own person” Ellie says  
“Ellie, you are beautiful and crazy smart. Like one of the smartest kids that I know.” Jane smiles coily, “but don’t mention I said that to any of the kids out there, okay?”  
Ellie laughs, ripping open a bag of Lays. “Thanks Jane” she says as she pours the chips into the bowl.  
“If you want, I’ll talk to her. Put in a good word for you.” Jane says as she turns back around to finish chopping her pepper, before dropping it into the salad, sitting in a giant party bowl.  
“She always listens after you talk to her, you know.” Ellie says, matter of factly.  
Jane smiles to herself, “Then I’ll talk to her first thing tomorrow.”  
As Ellie and Jane finish in the kitchen, the doorbell rings again. Mateo doesn’t get up to get it, this time letting Michael get up to answer the door. Michael swings open the door to reveal Alba and Jorge.  
“Hola Alba” Michael says as he pulls Alba into a hug  
“Hola Michael, como estas?” [1]Alba says back  
“Bueno, cansado pero bueno.”[2] Michael laughs as he shake Jorge’s hand.  
“Jane is in the kitchen, most of the kids are in the study and we’re in the dining room.” Michael says as he closes the door behind Alba and Jorge.  
Jorge sees the kids in the study having their dance off and immediately walks over with his cane to join them. Jorge’s arthritis was flaring up in his knees, which gave him a perfect excuse to move in with Alba. It just wasn’t safe to live alone anymore. Alba had trouble with it at first, but was eventually able to be happy with the situation. With a lot of prayer and a lot of Jane and Xo, pushing her to let loose a little.  
“How is Xo adjusting to life in Mexico?” Michael asks as him and Alba walk towards the dining room, through the living room.  
“Ella es buena. Ella y Rogelio no pueden esperar para volver y ver a todos los niños.”[3] Alba says with a smile, as she glances back to see Lili trying to teach Jorge how to do some weird dance move.  
“I bet she loves seeing where she grew up though.” Michael says, pulling out a chair for Alba to sit down in.  
“Sí Sí. Pero siempre será un segundo hogar. Su corazón siempre ha estado aquí.”[4] Alba says, a sad expression creeping across her face. Michael softly rubs Alba’s forearm, trying to comfort her.  
“Aparte de eso, esta noche es una noche feliz. Hola Rafael, hola Julia.[5]” Alba says, quickly fixing a smile on her face, as Jane and Ellie walk in, carrying big bowls full of chips, pretzels and a giant veggie salad. Jane sets the bowl down and walks around the table to hug Alba.  
“Hi Abuela”[6] She says, leaning down to hug and kiss Alba  
“Hola mi amor, es tan bueno ver tu cara” [7]Alba says as she runs her thumb over Jane’s cheek.  
“¿Y cómo estás, Mateo? ¿Te gustó el videojuego que Jorge te compró?” [8]Alba asks Mateo  
“Abuela! It’s so cool! The character customization alone is sick! I have to show it to you tonight before you leave! Jorge too!” Mateo says excitedly  
“¿Promesa?”[9] Alba says with a grin  
“¿Promesa?” Mateo echoes back to her.  
Just then Petra walks in the house, loudly closing the door behind her. Her short, almost yellow blonde locks, curled neatly, rested at her shoulders. Tonight she opted for a pair of white shorts and a soft, flowy polyester shirt covered in little navy anchors. She looks a bit disheveled, but puts a smile on her face as she enters the living room. She calls into the study, a hello to Jorge and then asks them to come into the dining room so they can start game night. She kicks off her brown, strappy sandals at the bottom of the staircase. Walking into the dining room barefoot, Julia comments on how pretty her toenails look. Which makes Petra raise an eyebrow at Rafael, before seeing Jane’s face and accepting the compliment. She takes a seat next to Alba, who greets her, as Jane stands at the head of the table. In an announcer’s voice, Jane bellows  
“Welcome to Game Night in the Cordero house!!! Tonight the stakes are higher, we are reaching the championships people! We have to…” Lili cuts Jane off,  
“Mom, can we just play Monopoly without all this…” Lili waves her hands at Jane “...dramatics?”  
Michael laughs and pulls Manuel onto his lap. Jane lets out a soft laugh and sits down next to Lili. Rafael grabs the box of Monopoly and begins to set up the board, while Julia hands out characters on request. Mateo handles the money, being the bank is his favorite thing. Sometimes he doesn’t even play, he just handles the money for everyone.  
Michael meets Janes eye, as he tilts his head forward to kiss the top of Manuel’s head. Just then they hear the front door open. Michael’s mother Patricia walks in,  
“Sorry I’m late everyone, book club was at Alison’s house tonight and she lives 45 minutes from here.” She says as she walks around the table to greet everyone. She sits down in between Jorge and Michael, reaching up and smoothing Michael’s hair down.  
“Mom…” Michael says before cutting himself off when he sees Mateo glance his way “Actually, what I meant was thank you. For continuing to take care of me into my adult years.” he says as he grins widely at Mateo, who in return rolls his eyes.  
Jane and Alba laugh, when they realize he is gently teasing Mateo. Jane looks around the table, before finally locking eyes with Michael again.  
“I love you, big Mr. Sweetface” She mouths to him  
“I love you too, Mrs. Sweetface” he mouths back  
As the game begins, they gently rub their feet together under the table. Joining the conversation and just enjoying an evening, surrounded by family.

[1] Hello Michael, how are you?  
[2] Good, Tired but Good  
[3] She's good. She and Rogelio can not wait to go back and see all the children  
[4] Yes Yes. But it will always be a second home. His heart has always been here  
[5] Apart from that, tonight is a happy night. Hello Rafael, hello Julia  
[6] Hi Grandma  
[7] Hello my love, it's so good to see your face  
[8] And how are you, Mateo? Did you like the video game that Jorge bought you?  
[9] Promise?


End file.
